Creator of Value-driven Leadership aka law of the farm leadership. Stirring Hearts, Shifting Thinking and Inspiring Leaders To Step-up Since 1991

Monday, 16 January 2017

Leadership is a verb

I undertake the first two steps of leading, assessing and deciding, rapidly.

The third step, executing, is where I’m constantly tested. Maybe this is your challenge too.

Read more about assessing, deciding, executing here. In gratitude to Kevin Roberts.

There’s triumph and trouble and everything in between when we take action.

To put ourselves out there with the risk that we might fail, that no-one comes with us, that the cost will be unbearable, has tested us humans since we first walked on our planet.

And then of course there’s procrastination, and the deeper reason for inaction, resistance.

Alas leadership is a verb.

I learnt from Steven Pressfield that a key to leadership (and to achieving great results or achieving what we want in areas that are important to us) is overcoming our resistance. You can read more about resistance here. I’m forever learning, unlearning and relearning about the power of overcoming resistance.

Steven believes, and I’ve come to believe it too, that the pain of running away from doing what we know we should is greater than actually doing the work!

Seth Godin got it right too when he said: Resistance gets worse and worse the closer we get to shipping.

I find the following advice from Verne Harnish highly valuable:

It’s time to break apart a 50-year old business term - strategic planning - and think about it in terms of two distinct activities: strategic thinking and execution planning. Each requires two very different teams and processes. Verne Harnish

I've long believed strategic planning to be one of the three great oxymorons in business. The other two are change management and performance management. Please read more about moving on from these morons here.

If you'd like some help please give me a shout. My number is +61 418 807 898.Who will you become? What will you do next?